At the end of each day, I look at my kids when they are sleeping and wonder how they could behave the way they did and rile me up as much as they did during the day. And then I know we'll do it all over again the next day. It's frustating and I definitely can't stand the whining, but in the grand scheme of things, we all realize that the good always is better than the bad. PS - love the pigtails, they are so cute.

I soooo get that!! sometimes I feel like a hypocrite when I say smile for the camera! when inside my head I'm adding (you miserable children).....but it helps to turn your day around and only remember the good stuff right??

perfect is just a sniff of perfume, or the wind in your hair...you can't quite catch and if you do its for brief moments but life being perfect isnt quite what we wish or we'd get bored :) and as Heather said of course in the end we only remember the good times

Thanks for sharing this. Your pictures are perfect, as for the rest of it, it's hard not to have perfect expectations. I constantly fail, and so do my kids. Lately, I'm blaming Adam and Eve and the fall. ;-) hugs,Heidi

But it's still so good that you did get out! So often when we are having one of those days I fall into the "how can I possibly take them out?" mindset. And then, like you said, I completely regret it, because OHMYGOSH staying in ends up being so much worse!:)

as my kids get older (they are 8 and 10 now), I realize more and more that it's the imperfect times that are the most meaningful, the most memorable, and the most character building (for me, that is!). :)

When everyone's cranky a walk in the woods is the very best solution to the problem. At the very least you'll feel better and they'll work off energy. It looks like a lovely day and every one you get in Indiana has to be special.

Kaylee said it well above. I make sure to take some pics of full on tantrums sometimes too. My husband & I always laugh hardest when we look back at those! And I can't wait to show them to my then 3 teenage daughters!